Exerciţiul carităţii în viaţa confreriilor medievale din Transilvania (secolele XIV-XVI)
Charity Practice Within the Medieval Confraternities in 14-16th Centuries Transylvania

Summary/Abstract: In the beginning there are analyzed the concept of medieval charity and the instruments which they operate, namely hospital, confraternity, guild, private action. The confraternities, through their nature are defined as charitable and religious associations. The subject of this scientific meeting calls for a restricted area of investigation, the object of this study being the laic estate confraternities from the main Transylvanian towns, including the professional confraternities. The confraternities operate in the domain of social maintenance, bonds which will belong afterwards to the urban administration: this is why the town’s management consents and encourages their activity, mainly when their platform answers the needs of the society. There are clearly pointed out the confraternal charity directions of manifestation, namely: 1. the obsequies organization for their own members but also for the poor and foreigners (fraternitas exulum: Corpus Christi from Sibiu and Saint Catherine from Cluj), 2. financial help from the own pay office for private persons or even for the town council, 3. support for a hospital (various members from Transylvania join the Holy Spirit confraternity from Rome and through recurring dues they support the establishments of the Holy Spirit order, seven in all in Transylvania). The kept regulations, the founding documents show a genuine program of good deeds, having as final purpose the soul redemption. Their activity must be connected to the age mentality, marked by the obsession of the “eternal life”; therefore their main role is in funeral organization.

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